Battery terminal



Dec. 19, 1967 J. R. LEWIS ETAL BATTERY TERMINAL Filed Nov. 9, 1965 GEORGE D. NAGLE w H 9 7 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,359,534 BA'ITERY TERMINAL Jack R. Lewis, Norristown, and George D. Nagle, Conshohocken, Pa. (both Keystone Cable Corp., 3347 N. Stokley St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19140) Filed Nov. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 506,929 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-226) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to battery terminals and more particularly to a battery terminal suitable for use with automotive storage batteries and the like.

With the common type of battery terminal in use today problems arise in their shipping and use. A common complaint when shipping battery terminals is that often times the nut on the retaining bolt comes off, the bolt then falls out of the terminal and is lost. With the present terminals in common use it is necessary to hold the bolt while tightening the nut which is difiicult due to the cramped space available and should grounding of the terminal occur due to the wrench contacting the ground side of the automobile surface, a short circuit and fire can result. In addition due to the softness of the material which the battery terminal is composed often the head end of the bolt will sink to a position in the metal where it is inaccessible to a wrench and subsequent tightening of the nut will result in the bolts turning,

breaking through the terminal retaining arm and causing destruction of the terminal. In addition, should the nut become loose while the terminal is in service the bolt can shake in its hole, and the terminal is therefore likely to come loose on the battery causing hard starting and other complaints. When it is desired to remove the conventional terminal, it is necessary to pry the two halves of the terminal apart with a bladed instrument such as a screwdriver which due to the softness of the terminal material often results in damage to the terminal.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal that eliminates the necessity of holding the retaining bolt while turning the nut when installing or removing the terminal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal wherein the retaining bolt will not come loose in shipping or While in use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal which can be easily installed and removed without damage to the terminal, or battery post.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal which is adaptable to several sizes of battery posts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal that is simple and inexpensive to construct but which is sturdy and reliable in service.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a battery terminal in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The battery terminal 9 includes a rear housing 10 and front retaining assembly 11 preferably composed of lead or other suitable conductive material which can be readily molded and is soft and easily compressible.

The rear housing 10 is preferably tapered with an opening 14 therein, the opening 14 extending from the rear of the housing 10 forwardly and having a cable 15 embedded therein. The cable can be held in the housing 10 in any suitable manner, the preferred construction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has the cable 15 placed in the housing 10 during the molding process and the cable 15 thus forms an integral part of the rear housing 10.

The front retaining assembly 11, in the preferred form, is of C clamp shape and includes two forwardly extending arms 21 and 22 which are integral at the rear and in spaced relation or spread apart at the front thereof.

Between the arms 21 and 22 a cavity 25 is formed for the reception of a battery post (not shown). The interior surfaces of the arms 21 and 22 forming the cavity and being tapered as desired to facilitate removal of the terminal 9.

The arm 21 has a tongue 24 extending from its forward edge with a threaded shank 27 embeded therein during the molding process if desired, with the material of the tongue 24 engaged in its threads. The shank 27 does not have any enlarged head but has a transverse end slot 23.

The shank 27 is held in the tongue 24 by its threads and is restrained from rotational movement by the material of the tongue 24 extending into the slot 23.

The arm 22 is of similar construction to the arm 21 and has a tongue 26 extending from the front of the arm 22.

Midway the tongue 26 a hole 30 is. formed for the slidable reception of the shank 27, the hole 30 extending through the tongue 26 and being of larger diameter than the diameter of the shank 27.

Between the tongue 24 and the tongue 26 on the shank 27 a nut 31 is preferably interposed. The nut 31 is threadably engaged by the shank 27 and can be rotatably moved either towards or away from the tongues 24 and 26 on the shank 27. On the end of the shank 27 and outside the tongue 26 a retaining nut 32 is provided engaged with the end of the shank 27 for tightening the arms 21 and 22 on the battery post.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

When it is desired to install the battery terminal on a battery post the nut 32 on the shank 27 is loosened and the nut 31 is rotated against the interior portion of the tongue 26 to spread the arms 21 and 22 so that a battery post may be inserted into the opening 25, formed therebetween.

The terminal 9 is placed over the battery post and the nut 31 is rotated oppositely and away from the tongue 26 to an intermediate out of engagement position. The nut 32 is then tightened until the arms 21 and 22 are in firm gripping relation with the battery post.

If at any time it is desired to remove the terminal 9 from the battery post the nut 32 must first be loosened. The nut 31 is then rotated against the inside of the tongue 26 thereby spreading the arms 21 and 22 and allowing the terminal 9 to be removed from the battery post.

We claim:

1. A battery terminal comprising a portion for cable connection, and

a post retaining assembly,

said assembly including two connected arms with free ends having tongues extending therefrom in spaced relation,

a threaded shank with one end of said shank embedded in one of said tongues,

said end of said shank having a transverse end slot with which the material of said tongue is in engagement to prevent rotation of said shank with respect to said tongue,

the other of said tongues having an opening therethrough through which said shank extends,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,535 1/1935 Anderson 339-23O 2,080,237 5/1937 Stewart 339-23O 2,254,835 9/1941 Bjornson 339-230 2,728,898 12/1955 Kearney 339-226 FOREIGN PATENTS 53,374 2/ 1945 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BATTERY TERMINAL COMPRISING A PORTION FOR CABLE CONNECTION, AND A POST RETAINING ASSEMBLY, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING TWO CONNECTED ARMS WITH FREE ENDS HAVING TONGUES EXTENDING THEREFROM IN SPACED RELATION, A THREADED SHANK WITH ONE END OF SAID SHANK EMBEDDED IN ONE OF SAID TONGUES, SAID END OF SAID SHANK HAVING A TRANSVERSE END SLOT WITH WHICH THE MATERIAL OF SAID TONGUE IS IN ENGAGEMENT TO PREVENT ROTATION OF SAID SHANK WITH RESPECT TO SAID TONGUE, THE OTHER OF SAID TONGUES HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH THROUGH WHICH SAID SHANK EXTENDS, SAID ARMS AND SAID SHANK ENCLOSING A CAVITY FOR THE RECEPTION OF A BATTERY POST, AND A RETAINING NUT ON SAID SHANK AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID OTHER OF SAID TONGUES FOR MOVING SAID TONGUES TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR CLAMPING. 